Growth, physiological, and biochemical responses of three tropical legumes to enhanced UV-B radiation

Experiments were conducted under field conditions to assess selected growth, physiological, and biochemical responses of three leguminous plants (Vigna radiata L. (Wilczek) cv. PS-16, Phaseolus mungo L. (Hepper) cv. Mash-48, and Glycine max L. (Merr.) cv. Punjab 1) to enhanced UV-B radiation equivalent to 15% ozone depletion at 25 degrees N latitude. Enhanced UV-B radiation adversely affected growth characteristics, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, photosynthetic rate, ascorbic acid content, and catalase activity, whereas a reverse trend was found for phenol content and peroxidase activity in all three species. However, the magnitudes of increases or decreases were different among species, and there was no direct relationship between growth and biochemical responses across species.